* UPDATE, JULY 13: Just in time for the current wave of humidity and heat, the town swimming spot on Lake Pearl, at Sweatt Beach, is open. New water quality tests show it is safe for swimming. On the subject of tests, the recreation department is questioning whether the unusually high bacteria count from last week, which closed the beach just before July 4, may have been faulty, since all of the other tests have come in at normal levels. They are inquiring with the state about that one. Return to wickedlocalwrentham.com for any updates.

* UPDATE, JULY 10: The town swimming spot on Lake Pearl at Sweatt Beach remains closed today pending results of water quality testing. Although the beach was open on Saturday, the health board has closed it down again following another high bacteria reading. We will keep you apprised. New test results are expected sometime tomorrow (July 11).

* EARLIER REPORT from July 3

The town's swimming spot at Sweatt Beach on Lake Pearl was closed this morning because of a high bacteria count, recreation and health officials said.

The beach, located off Woolford Road on the northwesterly side of Lake Pearl, will be closed until further notice.

According to the health board, results from the weekly water test at the beach came in with E. coli counts far above normal. The sample was taken yesterday, Monday, July 2.

"The sample came in at 1,600 colonies per 100 milliliters," said Board of Health Chairman Debra Dunn. She said the maximum allowed is 235 colonies per 100 milliliters.

The beach was open for two hours before it was closed at about 11 a.m. today. There were a few swimmers there, said Dunn, who may have been exposed to the bacteria. Swimmers who used the beach on Monday, when the sample was taken, may also have been exposed.

She said people exposed to the bacteria could develop severe stomach cramps and diarrhea, and some people may vomit or run a fever.

Dunn said it is an unfortunate circumstance that some swimmers were exposed to the high bacteria today, and said it can be pointed at as a consequence of cutbacks at the health board office. Since the office has been cut back to 17 hours -- despite pleas to provide enough funding to keep the office open at least 35 hours a week -- nobody was there early this morning to get the test results and close the beach before it opened.

"I believe I pointed out issues like this (during the budgeting process and Town Meeting), but unfortunately it fell on deaf ears," Dunn said today.

Eventually, Wrentham Recreation was contacted and informed of the test results so that the beach could be closed; the health board learned of the results at about the same time.

Page 2 of 2 - Dunn said it is unfortunate the beach had to be closed during such hot weather and just before the 4th of July. "Trust me, no one here at the Board of Health is happy about having to do that," said Dunn, but of course public health comes first.

The high bacteria count, said Recreation Director Jeff Plympton is "probably because of the heat and the heavy rain." He said, like at any pond or lake, high counts have happened in the past during similar weather conditions and the beach has been closed; tests are done on a weekly basis. Sometimes heavy rains can bring into runoff from a stream that runs across the Franklin Country Club, as well as off Elysium Street.

"I've also noticed large groups of ducks, so they're not helping either," said Dunn, who lives on the lake.

Over the course of the next several days, the Board of Health will be collecting water samples for lab testing, Dunn said. Tests are scheduled for Thursday, and next Monday and Tuesday.

"That number (of 1,600 colonies per 100 milliliters) has to drop down and average out to 235," Dunn said.

The Board of Health will open the beach as soon as the bacteria count falls back to levels that do not pose a threat to public health. And that depends on how quickly the lake flushes itself out, Dunn said.

"We're probably looking at next week to reopen the beach," she said.

The boat landing is presently still in use, and the beach operated by Lake Pearl Luciano's on the east side of the lake remains unaffected.